Letters

Green as Gold

Dear Alibi,

To all who are concerned with our burgeoning environmental problems and the direction our city is heading, now is the time to speak up.

Recently, the Environmental Planning Commission gave into supposed neighborhood association “leaders” and shot down a proposed residential Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) project that would have transformed a parking lot in the Silver Hill neighborhood, directly south of UNM, into a green residential building. (About 35 neighbors opposed the project from a neighborhood population of more than 1,750 residents.)

The fact is that we are on the verge of a huge environmental crisis, and this project takes a giant step forward in addressing some of these problems. The 2000 Gold Project is a well-thought-out, responsible infill project that combats Albuquerque’s endless sprawl.

One objection of some of the Silver Hill neighbors is that since the site abuts a historic district, the proposed project will destroy the character of the area. As the site is now a parking lot, no historic homes will be torn down. Quite the contrary—this project will enhance the neighborhood by integrating the old with the new, revitalizing an area that could really use it.

This proposed building is only four floors! In a neighborhood of one, two and three floors, four isn’t out of scale or too big ... it’s perfect for the area.

Please contact Rick Goldman of Sheffield Partners (rick@sheffieldpartners.com) for more information, and contact the city councilors (www.cabq.gov/council) and let them know you are in favor of the appeal for the 2000 Gold Project (#1006822).

Christopher LucasSilver Hill Neighborhood Association Member

Shakespeare was [W]right Again

Dear Alibi,

As the "Cruelest Month" closes, the "nationalized" press corp is ordered to manufacture a tarmac dispute between Obama and Clinton as to who is the father of French impressionism, Manet or Monet, while McCain stands, wobbly-kneed, watching Nascar and eating ribs.

Meanwhile, Rev. Wright (Iago without a soliloquy) munches on the bones of the next generation. Over at Castle Clinton, Bill slips out to the heath for a dalliance with the Three Witches. Returning home, he offers Hillary a drink. Will it be a potent potion or a poisoned chalice? Only time will tell who shall slay the tyrant Macbeth.

Richard WolfsonAlbuquerque

Who's the Hypocrite?

Dear Alibi,

I am writing in response to Jim Scarantino's pitiful right-wing attack on the citizens of the Galisteo Basin [Re: The Real Side, “The City Hypocritical," April 24-30]. In this desperate move to justify oil exploration within a watershed that serves more than 15,000 people, Scarantino calls us hypocrites and talks about us as "many of the anti-oil activists live around the Galisteo Basin." I have to first pose the question: How many people have you actually spoken with and how many homes did you visit? Personally, not unlike many in my neighborhood of the foothills of the Ortiz Mountains, I designed and built my own solar-heated home. I hand-built the 10,000 gallons of catchment systems in my yard. I buy my electricity from PNM's wind energy program and pay a higher rate for it. Many people out here work at home, as I and my wife do, so we do not commute.

I have to wonder, as Tecton has its eyes on the Albuquerque area of the Rio Grande, will Scarantino invite them to place an exploration rig in his backyard? What if we put his water at risk? He believes it is risk-free and yet there is not one frack drilling operation to date with a clean record anywhere in the world, only Tecton's claim that "now it is safe." Furthermore, the most oil that (may) be here, according to Tecton, is a two- to four-day supply for the U.S., which would be extracted over a 25- to 40-year operation! That is about one-tenth of a day for the U.S. each year. In his mind, that is worth risking our lives, our health, the watershed, the environment, and the impact of noise and other pollution on Santa Fe County and property values.

In short time, the Alibi and Scarantino will have to answer to the many advertisers and readers who are themselves trying to move to a "greener" market, a "greener" lifestyle. Should the Alibi continue with such writing, such archaic thinking, it—like oil and gas—will have to submit to becoming a dinosaur of sorts. As a citizen of the Galisteo Basin, I implore the Alibi to support writers and ideas that can move us forward into a bright future and away from this dark-mindedness.

Michael LancasterCerrillos, N.M.

CORRECTION: In last week’s Summer Guide [Re: Feature, May 8-14], the wrong e-mail address was listed in the contact information for the bicycle poker ride. The correct address is johnsanch@gmail.com.

Letters should be sent with the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number via e-mail to letters@alibi.com. They can also be faxed to (505) 256-9651. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, and may be published in any medium; we regret that owing to the volume of correspondence we cannot reply to every letter.